Campaigning Highland Perthshire residents are preparing to take to the streets to protest against the planned closure of their local Royal Bank of Scotland branch.

The protest is set to be staged at noon on Friday, January 12, outside the Aberfeldy branch of RBS in the town’s Square – one of five in Perth and Kinross earmarked for closure later this year.

Concerned locals have expressed fears over the perceived damage closure of the building would have on the tourism-orientated town, particularly given Pitlochry’s RBS is also one of those set for the axe.

They claim the area’s remote location and lack of public transport and internet access means residents will not always be able to cope without having a walk-in branch in the town, branding the decision a “disgrace”.

Avril Taylor, from the Aberfeldy Small Business Association, said: “As a community we are not accepting the closure.

“We already have a petition going and to put more impact on that we are staging this protest.

“RBS need to realise what damage they are doing to rural communities. We will have two banners out saying ‘Save Our Bank’ and ‘RBS is Killing Rural Communities’.

“The public themselves are saying they are going to be there, because we are all in it together up here in Aberfeldy. I don’t think the people at the top of the bank understand what it will do.”

Should the planned closures come to pass, those currently using the Aberfeldy branch would need to make the journey to either Blairgowrie or Perth’s Dunkeld Road to use a walk-in bank.

However, Ms Taylor says this is unacceptable, as many people in the outlying areas of Highland Perthshire already have to make a significant journey just to get to the Aberfeldy branch.

She added: “We are an hour to Blairgowrie and 45 minutes to Perth. You have to also remember people already come to Aberfeldy from Rannoch and Glenlyon to use the bank.

“If it was not for us taxpayers bailing them out in the first place RBS would not even be here. A lot of businesses in Aberfeldy bank with BRS and if they don’t change their decision, we will all close our RBS accounts.

“We want this peaceful protest to be as big as possible and we encourage as many people to come along as possible because we want it to have an impact.”

Among those hoping to attend the protest is Perthshire North MSP John Swinney, who is attending surgeries in the Aberfeldy area on Friday.

The SNP representative said: “RBS is letting down local communities by closing down branches in areas such as Aberfeldy and Pitlochry.

“It is not good enough for RBS to tell its customers to visit their nearest branch if they need to use branch services when, by the bank’s own admission, that would entail a 56 mile round trip to Blairgowrie for residents of Aberfeldy.

“The strength of feeling being shown by local residents and business owners - as evidenced by the petition that I understand has received a lot of support and the planned demonstration in Aberfeldy - proves that there is a strong desire, and need, for branch services to be retained in rural communities.

“It is important that local residents make their voices heard on this important matter so that RBS can be in no doubt that their proposed closures are not acceptable.

“Along with Pete Wishart MP, I will seek a meeting with RBS bosses to discuss their proposals and to encourage them to reconsider their closure plans.”

This comes as a paper petition by Ms Taylor circulating in the town has reached 500 signatures.

The document is expected to be brought to the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster on Wednesday, January 17, by Mr Wishart, MP for Perth and North Perthshire.

The other local RBS branches affected are in Comrie, Kinross and on Perth’s South Street.

A RBS representative said: “We’ve taken the decision to close these branches after an extensive review and careful consideration of local factors; including the other ways customers will be able to bank locally.

“In the majority of cases we’re ensuring a local face-to-face service, via our Community Bankers and, or, a Mobile Bank on Wheels, in addition to the access our customers have to everyday banking at the Post Office.”